Thomas v Environmental Protection Agency and Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd., 2020

Date Filed: 21st May 2020.

Status: Won

The Legal Claim: The EPA illegally granted environmental permits to Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd. (a subsidiary of ExxonMobil Corporation) for over 20 years to drill oil in the Liza 1 and Liza 2 fields.

The story of the case: Dr Thomas filed a case to reduce the environmental permits. The case was heard remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions. In August 2020, the court on its own motion issued an Order directing that the pleadings be served to Esso.

On 5^th October 2020 the court issued a second Order binding all parties (Dr Thomas, the EPA and Esso) settling the matter on the terms directed by Her Honour Madam Justice Barlow and directing the EPA to reduce the environmental permits for Liza 1 and Liza 2 to five years and file the re-issued permits with the Court.